Monday, September 30, 2013

Well, These are some comps for my cards and banner. The card is a front and back. The Art is still unfinished here and just used for the layouts. This thing has been a bitch and I've still got one more yet unveiled. Oh the site is up but nothing works yet except email and the appearance link. Still lots of wok to do. Gonna be glad when this is over (hate this rush) but I've had to work out so many different things just with this. I'll need to expand on some new ideas after SDCF....but this is a start, may not earn a dime but it's a start.

Well, These are some comps for my cards and banner. The card is a front and back. The Art is still unfinished here and just used for the layouts. This thing has been a bitch and I've still got one more yet unveiled. Oh the site is up but nothing works yet except email and the appearance link. Still lots of wok to do. Gonna be glad when this is over (hate this rush) but I've had to work out so many different things just with this. I'll need to expand on some new ideas after SDCF....but this is a start, may not earn a dime but it's a start.

Monday, September 23, 2013

Since I've not posted anything lately I'd figured I'd show my preliminary vector design (vector outline/sketch if you will) that I'm using as a template for the final version which is about done.The final one has evolved a bit from this but I'm not ready to unveil it yet. So this will have to do for now.

Since I've not posted anything lately I'd figured I'd show my preliminary vector design (vector outline/sketch if you will) that I'm using as a template for the final version which is about done.
The final one has evolved a bit from this but I'm not ready to unveil it yet. So this will have to do for now.

Sunday, September 22, 2013

Here's an early test with Manga Studio 5 and the Frenden brushes. I'm still exploring all of the brushes to find the one I like most. The characters are done with the "Natural" brush and the background is done with the "Lettering" brush. What do you guys think? Is this a good look?

Here's an early test with Manga Studio 5 and the Frenden brushes. I'm still exploring all of the brushes to find the one I like most. The characters are done with the "Natural" brush and the background is done with the "Lettering" brush. What do you guys think? Is this a good look?

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

A few years ago I came up with a story for a graphic novel that I loved. I wrote everything up in text form, but just haven't gotten started on it yet. Might get to it once I finish my Gorgon 2.0 and the next Monsters & Dames submission. I'm calling it "Handy's Ferry." The climax is set in New Orleans.

Trouble is, the way I originally came up with the story, myself and the other three members of my high school band are the "protagonists." (This sounds horrible, unimaginative, and self-indulgent, but it isn't--it's not about us, it's just that we are a good set of four disparate characters with a way of interacting that I understand and can exploit in a fictional setting.)

The four of us still keep in touch (a very good thing), (usually thru endless email chains)...one day one of us was feeling a little down, so I inked this sketch for the book and shared it, hoping to give him a laugh. But also, y'know, hoping to get some excitement fer the project, which I've talked about for a while now. My depressed friend got a mild chuckle...but everyone else hated it. And I've been soured on the project ever since.

Maybe you guys can comment and let me know what you don't like. I haven't finished "coloring" the page--I know I need more going on behind them. I'm trying to keep the style more "straight." And seriously--there's no way I can do an entire story trying to draw "myself." So the character designs have to change. Not that it looks much like me here!

p.s. one of the funny reasons people hated it: I was the only one in pants (?!?)

A few years ago I came up with a story for a graphic novel that I loved. I wrote everything up in text form, but just haven't gotten started on it yet. Might get to it once I finish my Gorgon 2.0 and the next Monsters & Dames submission. I'm calling it "Handy's Ferry." The climax is set in New Orleans.

Trouble is, the way I originally came up with the story, myself and the other three members of my high school band are the "protagonists." (This sounds horrible, unimaginative, and self-indulgent, but it isn't--it's not about us, it's just that we are a good set of four disparate characters with a way of interacting that I understand and can exploit in a fictional setting.)

The four of us still keep in touch (a very good thing), (usually thru endless email chains)...one day one of us was feeling a little down, so I inked this sketch for the book and shared it, hoping to give him a laugh. But also, y'know, hoping to get some excitement fer the project, which I've talked about for a while now. My depressed friend got a mild chuckle...but everyone else hated it. And I've been soured on the project ever since.

Maybe you guys can comment and let me know what you don't like. I haven't finished "coloring" the page--I know I need more going on behind them. I'm trying to keep the style more "straight." And seriously--there's no way I can do an entire story trying to draw "myself." So the character designs have to change. Not that it looks much like me here!

p.s. one of the funny reasons people hated it: I was the only one in pants (?!?)

Sunday, September 08, 2013

So, I've been struggling with Manga Studio to do some nitpicky things and it's not good at those things. I'm considering going back to Photoshop to ink and letter my comic. However, I'm not happy with the inking brushes that I have collected so far (which is what pushed me to MS in the first place). I'm looking for a brush that truly simulates an ink brush sort of line, one that tapers to a point on both ends. I've heard of talk of such a beast, but I haven't encountered it myself as of yet. If someone has used a PS brush like this, please point me in the right direction. Thanks!

So, I've been struggling with Manga Studio to do some nitpicky things and it's not good at those things. I'm considering going back to Photoshop to ink and letter my comic. However, I'm not happy with the inking brushes that I have collected so far (which is what pushed me to MS in the first place). I'm looking for a brush that truly simulates an ink brush sort of line, one that tapers to a point on both ends. I've heard of talk of such a beast, but I haven't encountered it myself as of yet. If someone has used a PS brush like this, please point me in the right direction. Thanks!

Saturday, September 07, 2013

Added an old minigun I built long ago. Going into pose territory by cutting the mesh up, action-figure style in Zbrush and moving the limbs and digits manually. Figured that made more sense than rigging the thing. I can still make sculptural adjustments this way. Really digging zbrush's Lightcap system for coming up with cool 3-point lighting tests.

Added an old minigun I built long ago. Going into pose territory by cutting the mesh up, action-figure style in Zbrush and moving the limbs and digits manually. Figured that made more sense than rigging the thing. I can still make sculptural adjustments this way. Really digging zbrush's Lightcap system for coming up with cool 3-point lighting tests.

Done and delivered. Did this new one from a mold of the original, which I'd sculpted and cast back in 2005. New one is going into an actual Ashram (!) out in the wilds of Escondido, to be seen by many (as opposed to private home where first bust lives). Hopefully other devotees of this...group? Practice? Religion? (Self-Realization Fellowship, a.k.a. "Swami's" in Encinitas) will want to order copies.

(As an aside, this pic was taken when I pulled off at the Carlsbad Outlet mall on my way down to San Diego to drop these off--the mall has a cool, faux-Renaissance staircase out back. It was early morning, so I yanked the bust out of the back of the car, plunked it down and snapped this shot before security found me. Guerrilla art!)

Done and delivered. Did this new one from a mold of the original, which I'd sculpted and cast back in 2005. New one is going into an actual Ashram (!) out in the wilds of Escondido, to be seen by many (as opposed to private home where first bust lives). Hopefully other devotees of this...group? Practice? Religion? (Self-Realization Fellowship, a.k.a. "Swami's" in Encinitas) will want to order copies.

(As an aside, this pic was taken when I pulled off at the Carlsbad Outlet mall on my way down to San Diego to drop these off--the mall has a cool, faux-Renaissance staircase out back. It was early morning, so I yanked the bust out of the back of the car, plunked it down and snapped this shot before security found me. Guerrilla art!)